41: The Demon Palace stands before me, the Jade Pool bewitches my heart.

After resting, the four people once again stepped onto the Star Remains Corridor. With the path guidance provided by Daoist Shoujing, they avoided several dangerous Restriction traps and areas where Demonic Creatures gathered, significantly speeding up their progress. The Power of Stars in the corridor grew increasingly dense, even beginning to suppress the ubiquitous Devilish Qi, clearing their minds.

However, this "clarity" did not last long. As they delved deeper, a low buzzing sound, like the simultaneous wailing of billions of living beings, gradually emerged from the front. The air began to fill with a restless aura that disturbed the mind. At the end of the corridor, a vast, dark space was faintly visible. The pressure emanating from it caused Lin Xuan, even at the Golden Core Stage, to hold his breath.

"That is the outer region of the Demon Suppressing Palace," Lin Xuan stopped, looking solemnly at the darkness. The "Myriad Demons Corroding Heart Grand Array" mentioned by Daoist Shoujing must be there.

He confirmed the route map in his mind again. According to Daoist Shoujing, after entering the outer area of the Demon Suppressing Palace, they needed to pass through a region called the "Bewitching Jade Pond" before reaching the palace gate guarded by the Twin Stone Demons.

"The Myriad Demons Corroding Heart Grand Array can trigger Heart Demons, and the Bewitching Jade Pond is likely even more dangerous. Everyone must firmly guard their Dao Heart and avoid being misled by external things." Lin Xuan reminded them gravely.

The Three women all nodded, their expressions solemn.

Having adjusted their condition, the four stepped out of the end of the Star Remains Corridor.

In an instant, the world transformed!

Before them was no longer the narrow corridor, but a boundless, vast platform paved with pitch-black jade. There was no dome above the platform, only rolling Devilish Clouds, thick as ink, from which twisted faces faintly emerged, wailing. In the center of the platform was a massive pond of water steaming with pink, hazy mist. The water was not liquid but viscous, like melted jade, emitting an extremely rich, sweet, and seductive fragrance—that was the Bewitching Jade Pond.

What was most frightening was the ubiquitous "sound." It did not enter through the ears but acted directly upon the Divine Soul! Countless complex thoughts, desires, fears, and ecstasies... surged like a tide, impacting everyone's Sea of Consciousness, attempting to evoke their deepest inner desires and flaws. This was the power of the Myriad Demons Corroding Heart Grand Array!

Lin Xuan immediately circulated his Golden Core Spiritual Sense, which shone like a bright lamp, illuminating his Sea of Consciousness and isolating the chaotic Demonic Thoughts outside. However, he could feel that the power of this grand array was pervasive, continuously draining his mental energy.

Su Wanqing's body was enveloped in a brilliant Moonlight, and the cold, bright radiance covered her. The Taiyin Power was pure and clean, freezing and purifying the approaching Demonic Thoughts. Her brow furrowed slightly, clearly indicating she was resisting with all her might.

Qu Feiyan's reaction was somewhat peculiar. The Demonic Thoughts that stirred the Seven Emotions and Six Desires bore some resemblance to the Red Dust Charming Bone Technique she Cultivated. Instead of resisting with all her might, her charming eyes were hazy, and a hint of intoxicated smile played on her red lips, as if she were enjoying the feeling of her desires being amplified. The pink Enchanting Light flowing around her body actually resonated slightly with the power of the grand array, significantly weakening the Demonic Thoughts attacking her. Yet, deep in her eyes, she still maintained a trace of clarity, knowing she could not sink into this place.

Gongsun Yu, with the weakest Cultivation, struggled the most. Her small face was pale, she bit her lower lip tightly, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat. Illusions of her Family's destruction and the tragic deaths of her loved ones, along with fear and unwillingness regarding her low strength, constantly surfaced in her mind. She desperately activated Thunder Arts; the supreme Yang and rigid Thunder Power surged within her, emitting faint crackling sounds, barely resisting the erosion of the Demonic Thoughts, but her body was already swaying slightly.

"Guard your minds! Imagine your most resolute conviction!" Lin Xuan shouted in a low voice, which contained a trace of Divine Sense power, ringing like a warning bell in the Three women's ears.

At the same time, his gaze swept over the Bewitching Jade Pond. The pond water was pink, shrouded in hazy Qi, and emitted a soul-stirring temptation. According to the map, they had to cross this jade pond to reach the opposite bank.

"Follow me, cross the jade pond quickly, don't stop!" Lin Xuan took the lead and walked toward the jade pond.

Approaching the jade pond, the sweet fragrance grew even richer, seemingly able to penetrate every pore. The pond water looked calm, yet it gave a feeling of bottomlessness, hiding a great terror within.

Lin Xuan took a deep breath, wrapped his entire body in Golden Core Spiritual Power, and stepped into the jade pond!

The pond water was not true liquid. Stepping into it felt like sinking into a warm, soft, and extremely accommodating force field. Countless purer and more direct seductive thoughts, like countless gentle hands, lightly stroked the Divine Soul, whispering the deepest desires of the heart—supreme power, peerless Cultivation Techniques, beauties capable of toppling cities, eternal life... Lin Xuan's Dao Heart was as solid as a rock; he ignored this, maintaining his speed and steadily moving forward. He could feel the pond water trying to assimilate his Spiritual Power and erode his will, but they were all blocked by his formidable Cultivation and resolute state of mind.

Su Wanqing followed closely. The power of the Moonlight carved out a small crystal path in the jade pond. Her steps were firm, and her cold eyes were like eternal ice, unmoved by any Illusion.

Qu Feiyan stepped into the jade pond and seemed to be in her element. The power that amplified desire made the Enchanting Light around her body even brighter, and her gaze, as it shifted, was full of charm. She even deliberately slowed her steps, taking a deep breath of the sweet fragrance and letting out a sigh of satisfaction. She looked at Lin Xuan's tall figure ahead; desire and the urge to conquer almost overflowed from her charming eyes. The power of this jade pond seemed to make her realize even more clearly what she wanted.

The moment Gongsun Yu stepped into the jade pond, her delicate body trembled. She seemed to see herself making rapid progress in Cultivation, becoming the pride of her Family, and standing shoulder to shoulder with Lin Xuan... The temptation was so real, so beautiful, that she almost sank into it.

"It's all fake!" She bit her tongue hard; the sharp pain instantly sobered her. Thunder Light flashed across her body, forcibly dispelling the Illusions, and she quickly followed the group.

The jade pond did not look large, but walking through it felt like a great distance in a small space; every step consumed immense mental energy. The pink, hazy Qi continuously shifted, outlining various soul-stirring scenes.

Suddenly, the mist in front of Lin Xuan churned and condensed into the likeness of Su Wanqing. However, this "Su Wanqing" had eyes brimming with desire, her red lips slightly parted, and spoke with unprecedented softness and charm, extending her jade hand to him: "Junior Brother Lin, won't you stay and keep me company?"

Almost simultaneously, the mist beside him also condensed into the figure of Qu Feiyan. This "Qu Feiyan" was even bolder, her red dress half-undone, her charming eyes seductive, and she moved directly to lean against him: "Junior Martial Brother, it's just you and me here, why hold back..."

Lin Xuan's eyes turned cold, knowing these were Illusions formed after the jade pond probed his inner heart. He ignored them completely, and his Golden Core Spiritual Sense swept out like a sharp sword, directly cutting down the two Illusions!

He glanced back and saw that Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan were also facing Illusions of him, condensed from the mist. However, both women either looked cold or scornful, easily crushing the Illusions.

Only Gongsun Yu, looking at the "Lin Xuan" in the mist who was smiling and encouraging her, had a momentary lapse in her gaze, nearly reaching out to touch him.

"Sister Yu!" Su Wanqing's cold voice rang out, and a stream of Moonlight power splashed down like cold water, instantly waking Gongsun Yu, who lowered her head in shame and quickened her pace.

Finally, after enduring severe tests of their mental fortitude, the four successfully crossed the Bewitching Jade Pond and stepped onto the solid black jade platform on the opposite bank.

Looking back, the jade pond was still pink and hazy, full of endless temptation, but the four only felt vigilance and lingering fear.

"This Bewitching Jade Pond is truly terrifying." Gongsun Yu was still shaken.

"It's merely a Reflection of the Moon in the Water, amplifying desires." Su Wanqing's tone was calm, but her slightly hurried breathing showed she was not entirely unaffected.

Qu Feiyan licked her red lips, casting a flirtatious glance at Lin Xuan, implying: "It's not... entirely a bad thing."

Lin Xuan ignored her teasing and looked ahead. After crossing the jade pond, a colossal palace, towering and majestic, entirely black, and exuding a Primordial Aura, was clearly presented before them!

The palace gate was a hundred Zhang tall, tightly shut. The door panels were carved with a mixed pattern of the sun, moon, stars, and hideous Demonic Statues, emitting an incomparably heavy pressure. In front of the gate, two Rock Giants, ten Zhang tall and resembling small mountains, stood motionless like eternal guards.

Their bodies were made of a strange, dull, lightless rock, their muscles bulging and full of explosive power. Most peculiar was that in the center of the chest of each of these stone demons, a dark red Crystal, slowly pulsing like a heart, was embedded. Furthermore, the two were connected by an Energy Light Band, their auras completely unified!

Twin Stone Demons!

The guardians of the Demon Suppressing Palace!

Sensing the aura of living people, two masses of crimson light suddenly illuminated the stone demons' hollow eye sockets! Their heavy bodies slowly turned, facing Lin Xuan and the others, and terrifying pressure swept toward them like a tsunami!

The real battle is about to begin!